fray

the fray[singular]a fight, a competition or an argument, especially one that is exciting or seen as a test of your abilityThey were ready for the fray.to enter/join the frayAt 71, he has now retired from the political fray.Word Originnounlate Middle English: from archaic fray‘to quarrel’, from affray‘startle’, from Anglo-Norman Frenchafrayer

‘disturb, startle’

, based on an element of Germanic origin related to Old Englishfrithu‘peace, safety’.